Tuesday, December 6, 2016

The power and tragedy of fake news stories

This year
has seen the rise of fake
news stories, disseminated on the internet and through other sources. Many
of these stories have appeared on AOL and Facebook, but they are not limited to
these sources and can crop up in many places.

The power of lies spread over
electronic media was
brought to our doorstep with the weekend story of a North Carolina man who opened
fire on a Washington, D.C., pizzeria telling police he took to the restaurant
with an assault rifle to “self-investigate” Pizzagate
— a fake news story about Hillary Clinton that has made its rounds on the
Internet.

The
'Pizzagate' lie was promoted by Michael Flynn (Michael Flynn is
Donald Trump's pick for National Security Advisor), due
to his tweet and Flynn's
son over the weekend, which allegedly led to the 'self investigation' of
the North Carolina man who entered the pizzeria with a gun to investigate.
Thanks to the work of local law enforcement an even greater tragedy was averted,
and for this we can be grateful.

To many of
us these fake news stories and conspiracies seem incredulous, and it is hard to
believe anyone would think they are real. Some of the stories that have crossed
the internet have partial truths and some have no truth whatsoever. While the 'Pizzagate'
lie has come to national attention, there have been many more fake stories that
are equally bad that continue to be spread.

Astrologically
this is related to the Saturn-Neptune square that dominated the skies last year and the greater part of this
year. While this transit is separating, the affects of a major transit like
this will pay out for months and possibly years to come.

Neptune is
very powerful in Pisces. Neptune is the planet of illusion, delusion and
confusion. It's square to Saturn has
been depressing and confusing and typical manifestations of this transit include
lies, propaganda, mistruths and confusion.

While fake
news stories may exist for some time to come, it is up to us as thinking
individuals to debunk them as opposed to believing in baseless conspiracy
theories that generate, lies, confusion, fear and events like we saw this past
weekend at Comet
Ping Pong Pizza in Washington, DC.

The next
time could be so much worse than this. We
have been forewarned.

What can you do to combat fake news
stories and the fear and lies they generate?

Use snopes or one of the many other de-bunking
sites on the internet, and write or call the sources/outlets of the incorrect
story. If they get enough emails, they will listen.

Think
rationally at all times as opposed to reactionary. You are an educated
individual and all education does not come through higher education. Common sense is at a premium these days.

Realize that
because it is a politician or public figure who is spreading or promoting
conspiracy theories that does not make it
right or true. Individuals who spread these stories often have their own
personal agenda. Question any politician or public figure who spreads baseless
conspiracy theories and check out their facts yourself. We are not in a time, astrologically speaking where we can afford to
blindly follow anyone. And remember, the last time we had a mutable
t-square, (as we did this summer) Hitler mislead the German people (and the
world) and rose to power in the mid 1930's, as I have written about many times.

Do not
become part of the problem by spreading lies or untruths, or unsubstantiated
stories on Facebook or any other source. Check your facts and then double check
them.

Live an honorable
and forthright life yourself, most of all. Enough lies, propaganda and mis-information
can endanger the very bedrock of Democracy we hold dear.